Alcatel Lucent

Lucent Technologies Inc.

Sony Corporation

Sony Electronics Inc

Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.

Nokia of America Corporation

Other

Nokia Technologies Oy

Alcatl-Lucent USA Inc.

Semyon B Mizikovsky

Violeta Cakulev

Suresh P Nair

Robert J Rance

Ganapathy Subramanian Sundaram

Daniel Nelson Heer

Mark Howard Etzel

Geoffrey Anderson

Robert John Frank

Robert Joseph McNelis

R Dale Shipp

Sharat Subramaniyam Chander

Peter Douma

Masaaki Akahane

Yuen-Yin L Koo

Peretz Moshe Feder

Ioannis Broustis

Zhibi Wang

Michael Marcovici

Benson S Ayabe

Sarvar M Patel

Yasushi Takahashi

Michael Dwayne Chambers

James Alexander Reeds, Iii

Gerard Wahl

Gabriela Maria Abramovici

Bjorn Markus Jakobsson

Raafat Edward Kamel

Adam L Berenzweig

Wen-Yi Kuo

Juan A Garay

David A Rossetti

Douglas Norman Knisely

Peter James McCann

Eshwar Pittampalli

Uri Blumenthal

Christopher Francis Mooney

Donald J Youtkus

David Morris Kristol

Robert Jerrold Marks

Steven Anthony Falco

Winston Edward Pekrul

Masaaki Akahanc

Peter Doums

Robert John Rance

Milton A Soler

James Alexander Reeds

A first security context is established between a given user computing device and a first network computing device to enable a secure data connection between the given user computing device and the first network computing device. A second security context is established between the given user computing device and a second network computing device to enable a secure data connection between the given user computing device and the second network computing device simultaneous with the secure data connection between the given user computing device and the first network computing device. Establishment of the second security context includes the first network computing device sending the given user computing device a simultaneous secure data connection parameter useable by the given user computing device to establish the second security context with the second network computing device.

Security key generation for simultaneous multiple cell connections for mobile device

Embodiments provide a user equipment (UE) device that includes a memory and a processor configured to execute instructions stored in said memory. The processor is configured by the instructions to receive a first evolved packet system (EPS) mobility management (EMM) attach reject message in response to an attempt to attach to a first eNode B (eNB) of a radio access network (RAN). If the attach reject message includes an Evolved Packet System mobility management (EMM) error code, the processor directs an attach request to a second, confirming eNB. The processor may be further configured by the instructions to receive a second attach reject message from the second eNB and enter a lock state only the condition that the second attach reject message also includes an EMM error code, optionally the same EMM error code received in the first attach reject message.

Preventing attacks from false base stations

We disclose various embodiments that enable a mobile terminal to confirm authenticity of a base station before the mobile terminal proceeds to camp on the corresponding cell. In an example embodiment, the authentication processing includes the mobile terminal tuning to a selected control channel of the base station to monitor RF signals transmitted thereon. The base station is deemed to be authentic if the monitored RF signals indicate the presence of live traffic between the base station and one or more other mobile terminals. The control channel can be selected from a fixed set of uplink and/or downlink control channels that are typically used by a legitimate base station. The presence of live traffic on the selected control channel can be detected by detecting certain control messages that are typically transmitted on that control channel between the base station and one or more mobile terminals served by that base station.

Verification of cell authenticity in a wireless network through traffic monitoring

We disclose various embodiments that enable a mobile terminal to authenticate a base station before the mobile terminal proceeds to attach to the corresponding network and/or camp on the corresponding cell, e.g., during the initial network selection and attachment or during an idle mode. In an example embodiment, the authentication processing includes the mobile terminal generating and sending to a candidate base station a system query with a nonce. The candidate base station is deemed to be authentic only if the acknowledgement generated and transmitted in response to the system query includes a copy of the nonce properly signed by a digital signature generated using one or more security keys. In some embodiments, the system query may also include a request for GPS coordinates and/or selected system information signed using a digital signature, which the mobile terminal may beneficially use to further strengthen the protection against a spoofing attack.

Verification of cell authenticity in a wireless network using a system query

An identifier of a mobile session is generated for a mobile device accessing a network operating in an unlicensed radio band (e.g., Neutral Host Network). Generation of at least one part of the identifier comprises generating a random binary value, converting the random binary value into a decimal value, and truncating the decimal value to a number of decimal digits consistent with an identifier recognizable by a network operating in a licensed radio band (e.g., 3GPP Evolved Packet Core).

Generation of mobile session identifier for neutral host network

A first identifier of a mobile session is generated for a mobile device accessing a network operating in an unlicensed radio band, wherein at least one part of the first mobile session identifier comprises a decimal format consistent with an identifier recognizable by a network operating in a licensed radio band. The first mobile session identifier is compared to one or more previously generated mobile session identifiers currently allocated in the unlicensed radio band network to prevent collision there between.

Preventing collision of mobile session identifiers in neutral host network

An example method includes receiving at a User Equipment (UE) a value for an Access Mode identifier and a value for a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) identifier in one or more cell advertisements, selecting a cell based on the or more cell advertisements, and reporting in a message the value of the Access Mode identifier and the value CSG identifier for the cell advertisement of the cell selected. A core network element receives a first Access Mode identifier value and a first CSG identifier value, these first values associated with a cell advertisement of a cell selected by a UE; receives a second Access Mode identifier value and a second CSG identifier value, these second values reported by the cell selected by the UE; performs a comparison of first and second Access Mode identifier value and/or first and second CSG identifier values; and takes action based on the comparison.

Validating cell access mode

A method is provided for interworking of mobility key management among access networks operating under different access technologies. The method is carried out by performing mobility key management by a core-network authentication server based on the access technology that a mobile terminal accessing a wireless network has selected for operation. The method of the invention defines authentication server behavior based on different access technologies and therefore solves the technology interworking issue seamlessly. The method of the invention also facilitates coexistence of more than two different access technologies without any need for each access technology to be modified in order to interwork with core network that is specified by another technology.

Method for interworking among wireless technologies

The present invention provides a method of operating a mobile unit in a wireless communication system. Embodiments of the method may include providing access request message(s) including information indicative of a first counter and a message authentication code formed using a first key. The first key is derived from a second key and the first counter. The second key is derived from a third key established for a security session between the mobile unit and an authenticator. The first counter is incremented in response to each access request provided by the mobile unit.

Method of providing fresh keys for message authentication

A mobility management entity (MME) receives a request for a key to establish a security context for communication between a base station and a user equipment in response to the user equipment requesting connectionless service with the base station. In response to receiving the request, the MME transmits a cookie to identify the security context stored by the base station.

Using cookies to identify security contexts for connectionless service

In one embodiment, multiple keys are generated in user equipment of a communication system based at least in part on a designated key expansion multiplier. A key identifier is received in the user equipment from a base station of the communication system. The user equipment selects a particular one of the keys as a function of the received key identifier, and utilizes the selected one of the keys to secure data sent from the user equipment to the base station. For example, the keys may comprise respective portions of a key stream generated by the user equipment responsive to a message received from the base station, with the keys being shared by the user equipment and the base station through independent generation of the key stream in the base station. The base station may illustratively comprise an evolved Node B (eNB) of an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN).

Generation of multiple shared keys by user equipment and base station using key expansion multiplier

A challenge manipulation and restoration capability is provided for use during network authentication. A mobile device (MD) and a subscriber server (SS) each have provisioned therein a binding key (B-KEY) that is associated with a subscriber identity of a network authentication module (NAM) of the MD. The SS obtains an authentication vector (AV) in response to a request from a Radio Access Network (RAN) when the MD attempts to attach to the RAN. The AV includes an original authentication challenge parameter (ACP). The SS encrypts the original ACP based on its B-KEY, and updates the AV by replacing the original ACP with the encrypted ACP. The MD receives the encrypted ACP, and decrypts the encrypted ACP based on its B-KEY to recover the original ACP. The MD provides the original ACP to the NAM for use in computing an authentication response for validation by the RAN.

Manipulation and restoration of authentication challenge parameters in network authentication procedures

A first security context is established between a given user computing device and a first network computing device associated with a first network cell of a communications network to enable a secure data connection between the given user computing device and the first network computing device. A second security context is established between the given user computing device and a second network computing device associated with a second network cell of the communications network to enable a secure data connection between the given user computing device and the second network computing device simultaneous with the secure data connection between the given user computing device and the first network computing device. Establishment of the second security context includes the first network computing device sending the given user computing device a simultaneous secure data connection parameter useable by the given user computing device to establish the second security context with the second network computing device.

Growing community of inventors

Morganville, NJ, United States of America

Semyon B Mizikovsky